Tom
and Jerry
are buddies. They enjoy spending time together. The two are exact
opposites which is one of the things they enjoy most about one another,
their differences. Neither Tom nor Jerry had a single thought or
opinion that was the same. This gave them plenty to argue about. And
did they ever love
to argue!

Deciding
what
the two would do was difficult in the beginning because neither wanted
to do what the other wanted to do. So they decided to take turns: one
Saturday Tom would choose something for them to do, and the next
Saturday Jerry would do the choosing. This system not only prevented
agreements (much to their dismay) but also afforded a great deal of
variety in their life. On the week-end Tom picked the activity they
would ride motorcycles in the desert, or take in a auto wrecking derby,
or endure a crushing crowd at a football game. When Jerry did the
deciding the two would attend an opera in the park, or sip tea while
listening to poetry, or watch a sunset over the Pacific.

Last
week tom
did the choosing, and his choice was an X-rated movie in the seedy part
of town. It must be understood in order to be appreciated that movies
of this sort are unlawful in the town which they lived, so only a
select group of people were allowed behind the green door of this
establishment. And in order to prove you were part of the privileged
few, you must provide an appropriate answer to certain questions when
asked at the door. And, of course, Tom had the necessary answers.

"Do
you
believe watching educational movies of this sort are beneficial and
should be allowed by law?" asked the burly man through the opened slit
of the green door. "I surely do," replied Tom. "How about you, bud?"
the man forcefully directed the question toward Jerry. "Sure, I guess
so, why not," Jerry affirmed.

This
week it
is Jerry's turn to do the choosing. And being disposed toward the
spiritual, Jerry chose to go to a local church. Unbeknownst to either
Jerry nor Tom, the church Jerry chose was even more tilted to the
spiritual than was Jerry. In order to attend this church, one must
answer a certain question, or be disallowed. A preacher in a long black
robe met the two at the door of the church. "Do you believe in the Holy
Spirit?" the preacher asked Jerry. "For sure," Jerry answered without
hesitation. "And how about you, my son?" the question was posed to Tom.
"Um, yeah, sure, why not," Tom hesitantly replied.

After
the
service, as Tom and Jerry were crossing Main street, a Mac truck ran a
red light. It was time for Tom and Jerry to meet their Maker.

The
gates of
Heaven, Tom and Jerry found, were heavily fortified and only an elite
few were admitted through the gates of pearl. An Angel in a long
flowing robe of brilliant white met the pair at the gate and asked the
question that would prove they were or were not one of the elite few
who were to be admitted. "Do you, from your heart, truly believe Jesus
is the Son of God?" the Angel asked of Jerry. "Yes, I think
so. My church teaches
that he is, and so I must also, I think. That is, sure
I do!" The Angel then posed the question to Tom: "Do you, from your
heart, firmly believe that Jesus Christ is the only Son of the living
God?" "I suppose so, your Honorship. I mean, I don't know much about
such things, but sure
I do! Why not."

How
about you?
Do you think they made it? What does it mean to you
when you read on your church bulletin what it says: "We Believe?" Is it
speaking to you? Or for
you?

Or,
do you
know at all what
you believe?

Or,
for that
matter, are you even sure what "Believe" means?

Do
you think
you should investigate the matter?

MIGHT
MAKES
RIGHT

In
war and
government this statement pretty well holds true. But what about in the
realm of religion, and more specifically, the Christian religion?

In
the past,
Might makes Right was often applied to those who disagreed with
whatever religion happened to be in power. It was the Jews over the
Christians. Then it was the Christians over the Jews. Then it was the
Christians under the banner of Catholicism over everybody. Then it was
Islam over everybody - and now it's everybody over everybody. Everybody
is right in their own eyes, and nobody else is right in anyone else's
eyes.

Now
we know
that none of the powers that had the weightiest hand was right because
they were the meanest and the strongest. But if it isn't the mightiest
who is right, then who is? How do we judge?

Perhaps
it's
the oldest
denomination that holds the Truth. In that case, the Jews are the
winner. And if we only count the Christian denominations, then I
suppose it would be the Nestorians, or the Eastern Orthodox church who
holds the edge. But for us here in the Western world, I suppose it's
the Roman Catholic church who takes the lead, and therefore the
rightest.

But
even the
earliest of these known churches have to set their record aside if the
claims of the Restorationists hold any water. These Restorationists,
like the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormon), the Christadelphians,
the Millerites (Seventh Day Adventist), the World Wide Church of God,
and the Jehovah's Witnesses have the advantage.

If
we use a
very large base, that is, incorporate thousands of denominations into
clusters, then it would appear that the Evangelicals have the lead in
sheer numbers of adherents, followed by the Catholics, with the
Mainline Protestants bringing up the tail. [How anyone can
differentiate between Mainline Protestants and Evangelicals for any
such comparison I have no idea. All I know is someone did
it, and so I'm using it. I haven't gone out and counted them myself, so
I won't stand behind any of these figures.]

If
you belong
to any of the groups listed above, I am sure you have chosen the group
that your
denomination was the head of the list to be the one that is "right."
And if your church was not listed, or settled to the bottom of the
list, then I am equally sure you decided that none
of the above statistics
are correct.

Of
course if
we were to be honest, which, for us humans is difficult to do, we would
have to admit that none of the above methods, nor any other we could
come up with will show us who is "right."

So
then, since
no human
attempt works, how about if we look through the Bible and see if there
is a way that God
uses to determine validity.

The
first
method that comes to mind that God uses is: He just picks
someone, regardless of whether that person has proven himself or not.
For instance Abraham was picked. We know of nothing he did to warrant
being picked. We know that later
he proved himself worthy, but that was many years afterwards.

Jonah
was
another one who was picked. He obviously didn't want
to be picked, but he was picked anyway and forced to do that which he
least wanted to do in spite
of all his attempts to avoid doing it.

Job
was
picked. He
certainly didn't ask to go through what he did.

Paul
was
picked - after he was thrown to the ground and blinded.

The
twelve
Apostles were picked, again having done nothing that we know of to have
proven their worth.

Worthiness,
it
appears, is what someone who is chosen by God proves after
he or she is chosen, not what he or she does in
order to be chosen.

Those
people
listed above proved their worth after being picked. But what about
others? Does everyone
God chooses prove themselves?

God
picked
Saul to be king of Israel. As I read the book of Samuel, Saul didn't do
so well. I would even go so far as to say he flunked.

Then
there's
Judas.

And
how about
the nation of Israel who God brought out of bondage? Here there were at
least two million possibilities for success. How many made it? Just
two: Joshua and Caleb. Not even the man who was called the "Friend of
God" made it. Nor did the one God chose to be His High Priest make it,
after failing miserably by not only defying Moses along with his
sister, Miriam, but in building the Golden calf.

But
there is
yet the sweet psalmist David, the innocent and faithful youth who slew
the giant. God even called David; "A man after my own heart." Surely David
made it though without failure. After all, just look at the vast number
of Psalms he wrote that we use for inspiration in order to make it from
day to day. And speaking of numbers, numbering was one of David's
greatest downfalls. He numbered the people, something God clearly did
not want him to do. A small thing you say? Well, because of this "small
thing," God killed 70,000 men, innocent of David's sin, and destroyed
the city of Jerusalem. And then there's Bathsheba, and the murder of
her husband to cover up his, David's, adulteress affair.

It
would
appear that David also flunked out (Mat 20:16; 22:14; John 6:70; Acts
9:15).

So,
what makes
a thing right?

Choosing
large
numbers of people isn't the answer, Israel proved that.

Picking
small
numbers of people doesn't work, Judas
gave us evidence of that.

Perhaps
it's
the broad, well lit and well traveled way that is the right one. But
the Bible tells us that it's the Narrow
road that few
find that is the right one (Mat 7:14).

Maybe
if we
spent all our time studying the Bible and reading all the commentaries
and listening to all the preachers on the radio and TV we could learn
the Truth. But then God said he hides
the Truth so we can't find it:

10Why
speakest thou unto them in parables? 11He
answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12For
whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more
abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even
that he hath. 13Therefore
speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing
they hear not, neither do they understand. (Mat 13:)

6Howbeit
we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this
world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7But
we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even
the hidden wisdom,
which God ordained before the world unto our glory: (1Cor 2:)

It
certainly
is a dilemma, wouldn't you agree? Do you
have any idea how we might find the Truth?

25These
things have I spoken unto you, being yet
present with you. 26But
the Comforter, which is
the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach
you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I
have said unto you. 27Peace
I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth,
give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be
afraid. (John 14:)

DEFINITIONS

Have
you ever
wondered just how "God Inspired" the Doctrines you are taught really
are? Of course there is no way of knowing just how much in the Spirit
any particular Theologian or Doctrinaire is, or was. But here are some
views presented by various writers of dictionaries. I have highlighted
those I
found to be particularly appropriate.

1.
To
consider by turning a
subject in the mind, and viewing it in its different aspects and
relations; to meditate; to contemplate; to theorize;
as, to speculate on questions in religion; to speculate on political
events.

"It
is remarkable
that persons who speculate the most boldly often conform with the most
perfect quietude to the external regulations of society." --Hawthorne.

2.
(Philos.) To
view subjects from certain premises given or assumed,
and infer conclusions respecting them a priority.

Advance
in value,
and a consequent sale at a profit; - often, in a somewhat depreciative
sense, of unsound or
hazardous transactions; as,
to speculate in coffee, in sugar, or in bank stock.

1.
Teaching;
instruction. "He taught them many things by parables, and said unto
them in his doctrine, (Mark iv. 2).

2.
That which is
taught; what is held, put
forth as true, and
supported by a teacher, a school, or a sect; a principle or position,
or the body of principles, in any branch of knowledge; any tenet or
dogma; a principle of faith; as, the doctrine of atoms; the doctrine of
chances. "The doctrine of gravitation." --I. Watts.

Articles
of faith
and doctrine.

Syn:
Precept;
tenet; principle; maxim; dogma.

Usage:
--
Doctrine, Precept. Doctrine denotes whatever is recommended
as a speculative truth to the belief of others.

PRECEPT
is a
rule down to be obeyed.

DOCTRINE
supposes
a teacher; precept supposes a superior, with a right to command.
The doctrines of the Bible; the precepts of our holy religion.
"Unpracticed he to fawn or seek for power."

Did
you find one
definition in the list above that you would feel comfortable resting
the fate of your Eternal Soul on? Do you realize that is exactly
what you are doing when you blindly follow the tenets and doctrines of
your chosen church or preacher? And not only are you following
the blind theories of someone else, but you become
one of the blind following the blind, and a teacher
of blind concepts when you instruct others, like your children, the
doctrines you hold.

But
what's the
alternative? Leaving one church, or the dictates of one preacher or
theologian to join another is nothing more than jumping from one frying
pan to another, is it not? And trying to understand the Bible on your own
is like becoming the blind teacher and the blind follower all in one.

There
is only one
way out of this mess, and no, that way certainly is not
reading this website and accepting anything I've
said. That's just choosing another frying pan. Here is the only
way to find the Truth:

25These
things have I spoken unto you, being yet
present with you. 26But
the Comforter, which is
the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach
you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I
have said unto you. 27Peace
I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth,
give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be
afraid. (John 14:)

13If
ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children:
how much more shall your
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:)

8The
sacrifice of the wicked is
an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is
his delight.

29The
LORD is
far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

28The
heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked
poureth out evil things.

(Prov 15:)

"DINNER'S
READY!"

"In
just a
minute, Dear. I'm reading the Bible and I'm right in the middle of the good
stuff!"

"You
always
say that. Ever since you received the Holy Spirit you're always
in the middle of the good
stuff!"

GOOD
HABITS

"I
know what
I'll do! I'll make a list of good habits to take the place of my bad
ones. That way I can know I am doing the right thing and following the
Lord's instructions."

Sounds
like a
good idea, doesn't it? Who could say anything against such a plan? Of
course there are those preachers and denominations that say sin is ok,
and if you really search you can find churches who say sin is good
because it intensifies God's Grace.

Then
on the
other hand there are churches who believe we must beat our bodies into
subjection and thereby please God and be taken into Heaven.

But
even
setting the religious aspect aside, creating good habits and getting
rid of bad habits is a good idea, so it seems. If nothing else such a
practice is bound to boost our ego, make friends and influence people,
as well as save us a buck or two in the process.

On
the
Spiritual plane, that is, as a Christian, is this what God wants of us?
That is are we to learn self-discipline? There are certainly plenty of
places where the Bible tells us to do just that, and who could dispute
such? So apparently God does
want that of us. But is it God's ultimate
desire for us? That is, if we were to seek the most
that God has to offer, what would please
Him most, is there something beyond beating our bodies into subjection?

I
think there
is. It appears to me that the Apostles, as they walked with Jesus
before His death, failed miserably to do that which was right, even in
their own
eyes. But after Jesus was resurrected, these same men did wondrous
things that amazed even themselves.

What
was the
difference?

Pentecost.

When
these
men, and many other men and women, received the Holy Ghost, they were
transformed into new creatures. What did the Holy Ghost do? Did He make
it possible for the Apostles to form good habits and to get rid of
their bad habits? I don't find that to be true. It appears to me that
these men did just the opposite
of what we or the world would expect of us; they stopped
doing anything at all, and began following the leading of the Holy
Spirit. It seems to me
anything we do that seems right in our carnal mind will only hinder the
Holy Spirit's influence upon us.

This
is not to
say we shouldn't do good things. Not at all. But it does
mean we should keep our Spiritual ears open to the faint voice of God
and be ready to obey instantly without our "good habits" getting in the
way.

Good
things
prevent even better
things from happening. An example of this is a church service where
everything is planned out to the second. Prayers are written out for
you to follow, music is spoon-fed from books and choirs, and the sermon
might as well have been played from a radio.

"Did
you feel
the Holy Spirit move in service today?"

Of
course you
know that the Holy Spirit can not "move" in a tin can or in a straight
jacket.

We
do the same
thing in our personal lives when we have everything planned out; even
our wonderful moments with the family in prayer and in Bible readings
and in helping our neighbor. It might be that the Holy Spirit wants us
to help our neighbor when we have scheduled prayer and Bible reading.
In such a case, which do you do?

Paul
spoke of
times he had fully intended to do good things in a certain area, but
the Holy Spirit forbad him, or directed him somewhere else. The Bible
tells us this:

13Go
to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city,
and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14Whereas
ye know not what shall be
on the morrow. For what is
your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and
then vanisheth away. 15For
that ye ought
to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. (James
4:)

1Then
was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the
devil. (Mat 4:)

12Therefore,
brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13For
if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit
do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14For
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15For
ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have
received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The
Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children
of God: (Rom 8:)

9After
this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed
be thy name. 10Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it
is in heaven. 11Give
us this day our daily bread. 12And
forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13And
lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14For
if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also
forgive you: 15But
if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses. (Mat 6:)

19Quench
not the Spirit. (1Thes 5:)

43When
the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places,
seeking rest, and findeth none. 44Then
he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when
he is come, he findeth it
empty, swept, and garnished. 45Then
goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than
himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state
of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this
wicked generation. (Mat 12:)

Psalm 23

1 The
LORD is
my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He
maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still
waters.

3 He
restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his
name's sake.

4 Yea,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil: for thou art
with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou
preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou
anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely
goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will
dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. (Psalm 23:)